Celebrating Colour and Love

It sounds like something from the sixties but no Holi is a Hindu Spring Festival known as the 'Festival of Colours' or 'Festival of Love'. 'The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships'. (Wikipedia). People come together and smear each other with colour and drench each other with the use of water guns and water balloons. Everyone gets involved from rich, poor, men, women, the young and elderly, they get together in parks and public places, play music, laugh and chat.

What a beautiful event. I only came across it as I was Googling something and the Google sign was all white until you clicked on it and then you could fill it with colour. I'm so easily pleased but I feel it's another school day. I think a lot can be learnt from other cultures and religions and what's wrong with being multicultural? Terrorism has a lot to blame and has made us cautious, a terrorist hides behind a religion and creates hatred. Most religions are peaceful and should enable us to live side by side as human beings. This is where I launch into Yoda's speech from Star Wars and quote the classic line 'fear is the path to the dark side, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering'. Wouldn't it be nice if peace ruled and we all got along nicely? I like the idea of visiting other countries, embracing their culture and learning a new language, it's fun and very educational. 

We all resemble different colours, we like different things and that's good. if we all liked the same things the world would be a very boring place. One colour being celebrated this weekend was the colour of country music with the fifth Country 2 Country Music Festival which ran over 3 days in 3 different venues around the UK - London, Glasgow and Dublin. Love it or hate it, it's like Christmas for Country fans. The likes of Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire, Marty Stuart and The Zac Brown Band all graced the stages and by the sound of it on the little pop up station on Radio 2 Country they stormed it. Like all genres of music you find your way by experimenting with all sounds, some like the more traditional Country & Western sound and there's the new or modern Country. We are now gaining more and more successful British artists now such as The Shires and Ward Thomas. I know!! some say they border on pop and are not country at all but y'all see I don't like labels and categories much. If I like a tune, it has great lyrics and it hangs around in my head its cool, whatever genre and whoever the artist. 

Personally I love all types of music from Abba to ZZTop and like the festival of colours we should just celebrate all music and come together and unite in this troubled world. Ohhh remember the old coca-cola advert when everyone came together from different nations and sang the New Seekers hit 'I'd like to Teach the World to Sing'. You young'ns will have to 'You Tube' it. It's fabulous and gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside or makes you want to just go and drink lots of coca-cola. 

I've enjoyed learning about such a lovely tradition and hope you have too, remember to colour the world and it's ok to colour outside the lines. 

Be happy, love, live and forgive - life is way too short.

Catch you tomorrow.........